diy waist finder for street photography

[nzeeman]

i have one thing i try to develop with a friend so i need a help from rff members. i realized that a lot of street photographers have no option od waist shooting unles they flip screen and that seems kinda obvious to peope arpund. so my idea is to develop small screen that would fit in flash shoe with little camera in front so you can see where you are pointing. maybe adding directional glass so from side it looks like its black. i would aim to make it size of those small shoe lightmeters. do you think all that makes sense? would you use it? i maybe will make it highly diy. maybe even putting framelines on screen instead of switch - so minimum electonics to go dead and also that would keep price in some normal zone...

 

[michael_isaev]

I would start from buying some cheap folder with a brilliant finder, and use this finder an some (probably 3d-printed) cold shoe mount. In the US it's pretty much any kodak folder before 40s, and depending on condition they go for $30. Just ask the sell to send a picture of the finder so it looks usable. They are pretty easy to disassemble and clean, unless mirror is not damaged.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

Yea, lets dismantle old camera just because...
Reminds me one in Kharkov, who sells FSU cameras, but if only lens is needed, lens goes for money and camera is thrown away.

If you really need it where are heck a lot digital camera which will do it. Via articulated eVF or screen.

Film, where are TLRs and Nikon F. Nikon F1/F2 with waist finder is better for street photography than any TLR. IMO.

 

[Phil_F_NM]

Nikon F3 with DW-3. Enough said.
Or Nikon F2 with DW-1.
Or Nikon F with DW-1.
If you need autofocus and matrix metering, Nikon F4 with DW-20.
You could shoot any of these just by taking the prism off, in a pinch.
These are just the Nikons, but most of the other big manufacturers offered a top tier camera with a removable prism and waist level capability.
No need to reinvent the wheel here. A shoe mounted waist level finder already exists but if you find one, I want it. They were made for Bell & Howell Filmo 70 motion picture cameras. It's hard to even find a photo of one, let alone a real sample. I've never seen one in real life. A few defense contractors made accessory waist and eye level finders with projected framelines for a normal lens (or whatever lens the camera was spec'd with) but they are BIG and not at all unobtrusive, which is what I think you're going for here.
The problem with this idea past the recommendation of the mirrored viewfinder of an old folding camera is brightness and eye relief. Assuming you actually want to use it about a foot away, and not with your eyeball right in the thing (because eye-level angle finders are available for every eyepiece of every system) you are going to need a big screen that is bright. At this point, it's easier to just give in and get a Nikon F3 with DW-3, enjoy excellent metering, one of the best cameras ever made, and a pretty good waist level finder.
I love carrying my FA for quick action in changing lighting, especially if I'm wandering around in and out of deep shadows and bright highlights. If I'm going to be laying on the ground taking photos of bugs or flowers or whatever, I'm grabbing my F2 and sticking the prism in my bag.
Or get a TLR and call it a day.
It's mostly a solution to a problem that doesn't really exist to the extent that a workaround is necessary.

Phil Forrest

 

[charjohncarter]

Any 35mm camera with a shoe and 28mm lens set at 10 feet and f8. Then your DIY finder: Bob's your uncle.

 

[ronnies]

If you need autofocus and matrix metering, Nikon F4 with DW-20.

You only get spot metering on the F4 with a DW-20 as the spot meter is the only one built in to the F4 body.

Ronnie

 

[olakiril]

i have one thing i try to develop with a friend so i need a help from rff members. i realized that a lot of street photographers have no option od waist shooting unles they flip screen and that seems kinda obvious to peope arpund. so my idea is to develop small screen that would fit in flash shoe with little camera in front so you can see where you are pointing. maybe adding directional glass so from side it looks like its black. i would aim to make it size of those small shoe lightmeters. do you think all that makes sense? would you use it? i maybe will make it highly diy. maybe even putting framelines on screen instead of switch - so minimum electonics to go dead and also that would keep price in some normal zone...

From what I gather, you need a digital solution for a digital camera correct? Also you don't want to hide the fact that you are taking pictures, just make it discreet correct?

What you are describing is not going to be any more discreet than a flipped LCD at the back of the camera.

The best solution that fits my shooting style is a camera with a tiltable EVF like the GX8. You can look through it from a further distance and aim the camera, but at the expense of FoV. The other solution is a camera that supports connection with your phone.

If you really want to go the route you are describing then something like a raspberry pi zero with a camera module and a mini LCD could do the trick:
https://www.aliexpress.com/i/32968616666.html
But again, that would draw the attention even more.

P.S. Directional glass (the ones you see in interrogation rooms) is not really directional. It is a half-silvered mirror which works for that purpose because one room is extremely dark and the other one very bright. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One-way_mirror

So a 90 degree mirror on top of the camera, would work just as well 🙂.

Also a very good solution:

Any 35mm camera with a shoe and 28mm lens set at 10 feet and f8. Then your DIY finder: Bob's your uncle.

 

[JohnBeeching]

Hi, I have spent a lifetime doing street photography using film SLRs and Leicas, and now also digital Fujis. My practice in all cases is practice, practice, practise. Get to know the camera so that its use is instinctual, use zone focusing, be aware of what is going on around you and, when you see something potentially interesting, bring the viewfinder to your eye in a fluid motion, snap, and return the camera to your side. Most times no one notices you, if they do a smile does the trick. Being sneaky rarely works.

Leica M6, 35mm.
Couple. Barcelona, 2003. by John Beeching, on Flickr

X-Pro1, 18mm.
Please. London, 2016. by John Beeching, on Flickr

 

[nzeeman]

i nevee use hip technique myself (i zone focus and use viewfinder-my screen is useless-never turn it on apart for menu when i change some settings which is once in year haha) -just saw lot of people use and i wanted to make something just for fun. i meant it to be really tiny and flat -so maybe 4x4cm screen max and thin . so maybe size of those kids smartwatches with camera. so it wont be really noticeable at all. also it would keep screen off - save battery of camera. i dont know - i thought its a neat help for less experienced street photographers-but seems its maybe stupid and useless haha

 

[Phil_F_NM]

i dont know - i thought its a neat help for less experienced street photographers-but seems its maybe stupid and useless haha

Less experienced photographers just need to practice more.
Don't give up on innovative ideas. They aren't stupid or useless, but may not be marketable. Being an inventor for the sake of invention is something that we are missing in the world these days. Not everything needs to be monetized, marketed and sold. Don't give up on being innovative. Heck, make the little waist level finder as a proof of concept for yourself and brag about it. It just may not be marketable.

Phil Forrest

 

[nzeeman]

Less experienced photographers just need to practice more.
Don't give up on innovative ideas. They aren't stupid or useless, but may not be marketable. Being an inventor for the sake of invention is something that we are missing in the world these days. Not everything needs to be monetized, marketed and sold. Don't give up on being innovative. Heck, make the little waist level finder as a proof of concept for yourself and brag about it. It just may not be marketable.

Phil Forrest

i agree-i will try to make it just for fun 🙂 i loke doing stuff that i barely use - like converting lenses into someounts - chaika and smena lens to fuji or industar 61 to contax mount... i made them and barely use - but it was fun..

 

[Darthfeeble]

Is there a phone app for your camera?